The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-02-26
Eclipse's Famous Race.
An Eighteenth Century Horse That Never was
Beaten.

An Eighteenth Century Horse That Never wa
Beaten.
From the Chicago Herald.
On the first of April, 1854, during al
eclipse of the sun, Spiletta, mare belong
ing to the Duke of Cumberland, in England
gave birth to chestnut colt, which was al
once named Eclipse, in consequence of the
heavenly phenomenon attendant upon hi:
birth. He had royal pedigree, tracing
back his descent through the best of Eng,
lish horses to those flying children of the
desert which had been imported in the pre-
vious century. The Duke of Cumberland,
uncle of George Ill, was patron of prize
fighters and of the turf, and is known in
history as Butcher Cumberland hero Of
Culloden. He died the year after the
chestnut colt was born, and his stud was
sold, Eclipse among the rest. He was q
very unpretending looking chestnut colt,
with white blaze from his forehead to his
nose, his off hind leg white from the top
Of the shank to the foot He was short in
the forehand and high in the hips, and had
an uncommonly bad temper. He bit and
kicked and SHE'D and struck out with his
forelegs like boxer. He was, in fact, an
unpromising yearling, and at the sale was
knocked down to Mr. Wildman, who
knew thing or two about horses, for
seventy-fve guineas His temper was GER
tainly very provoking, and Mr.. Wildman
got out of patience with him very often,
and at last, in rage, put him in the hands
OF rough riding -poacher, who rode him
about all day from stable to stable, and at
night took him to the cover side and made
him wait while the poacher was taking un-
lawful game. This rough treatment brought
the colt somewhat to terms and rendered
him more docile, but his spirit remained
unbroken. When he was four years old
Colonel Dennis O'Kelly paid Wildman 25O
guineas for half interest in him, and
shortly afterward gave $50 guineas for the
remaining interest, and thus became his
sole owner
Colonel O'Kelly was an Irish adventurer
springing from low origin, who suddenly
appeared on the English turf with great
horse and pocketful of money. He had
led wild and scrambliug life, sometimes
meeting with great reverses, and once find
ing himself in prison for debt. Escaping
from the tolls of his creditors through the
assistance of a lady friend, who gave him
her last el00, fortune now seemed to turn
in his favor, and everything he touched
turned to gold. But he could not get ad-
mitted to the Jockey Club nor into the
social clubs of London, and the aristocracy
would have nothing to do with him, not
withstanding his money. But he had
courage, patience, industry and sagacity,
and in his way was as invincible as his
horse. To prevent his jockey from being
bought over he paid him an annual salary,
with the privilege Of taking other mounts
when O'Kelly had no horse in the same
race, an arrangement now very common
and usual, but at that time unknown.
Having his plans now all perfected,
O'Kelly entered Eclipse for small race at
Epson Downs. 1t was $50 entry for
horses that had never won, EDO matches
excepted, Eclipse was five years old and
this was his first race. The day before the
race OKelly took odds to a large amount,
and just before the race bet even money
and then and to 4 that his horse would
win. Nay, more, this noisy and obstreper-
GUS lrishmE. :. .LLasua large amount of even
money that a Il .sslahA Rrhere
body is willing o Sme race SO every
O'Kelly when he Aioua'e Colonel
horses. 1t is the 3 Nav vat 1P pace those nos
bell rings and ~ lbs 100 Inc
for the trial canter. The e. nU Gss aPlear
as they look at O'Kelly's liz ht chesS|
don't see so much in him. His forequa3
tiers sink in his stride, there is something
very odd about his withers, and, heaven of
heaven he is a roarer, and blows like a
grampus There can't be much in that
beast. The horses are ready, the starter
comes forward, and O'Kelly is called upon
to declare. He violently shouts out the
sentence, now proverbial: ECLIPSE frsS1
the rest nowhere" The flag drops, an
horses start. 1t is four-mile RI
the three mile post the horses
gether; the chestnut has not con
yet But now he comes, with
pulling on him as hard as he q
great horse distances all others
and without turning hair. 4
closes in around the unruffled
begin to see his beauties. q
ders like a greyhound, his d6afcels az
finely proportional, and the muscles of fore
arm and thigh are like steel
The triumphant jockey tells the noisy,
exulting colonel that Eclipse had made the
and then broke clean away from
the ruck. 1t was great day for the Irish
man. The same season Eclipse won race
after race, kings plates, city cups and purs-
es, and bets of all kinds for his owner.
Nor was there anything uncertain about his
victories. He cut down the field at once,
and shot in like rifle ball.
The next year, 1910, it was the same
story over again. So great became his ce-
lebrity that the greatest odds, ten and
twenty to one, had to be laid on him to get
a bet Many horses would not start against
him, so he had only walk over. He won
for O'Kelly wagon load of gold cups,
silver plates and purses of guineas. He
ran against the best horses that could be
produced, and he distanced them all. There
was no struggle, no effort, no neck and
neck contest. He never seemed to be put
to his best speed He was never struck by
a whip or spur. In all the pictures of him
extant his jockey is seen sitting low and
still in the saddle.
His career on the turf lasted one year
and five months, during which time he was
never beaten and was never forced to the
top of his speed. He ran all distances,
but it was not the custom in those days to
time races, so his time was never taken.